Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 621,708	$ 616,288	$ 1,234,745	$ 1,223,090
Total expenses	434,894	422,897	1,048,211	861,985
Operating income	186,814	193,391	186,534	361,105
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	642	(5,641)	(3,598)	(8,384)
Income from real estate fund investments	16,389	26,368	27,673	50,457
Interest and other investment income, net	10,236	5,666	13,754	16,458
Interest and debt expense	(105,576)	(92,092)	(206,065)	(183,766)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	159,511	0	160,225	1,860
Income (loss) before income taxes	268,016	127,692	178,523	237,730
Income tax expense	(2,109)	88,072	(4,940)	87,101
Income (loss) from continuing operations	265,907	215,764	173,583	324,831
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	2,475	(364)	3,191	15,815
Net income	268,382	215,400	176,774	340,646
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(13,025)	(19,186)	(22,703)	(35,068)
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	255,357	196,214	154,071	305,578
Interest and debt expense	127,799	115,073	253,919	229,748
Depreciation and amortization	173,352	163,245	348,163	319,695
Income tax (benefit) expense	4,704	(87,653)	7,965	(88,392)
EBITDA	561,212	386,879	764,118	766,629
New York Segment [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	425,770	414,262	836,595	813,775
Total expenses	268,135	250,298	537,730	503,058
Operating income	157,635	163,964	298,865	310,717
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(1,001)	3,176	(4,564)	(2,487)
Income from real estate fund investments	0	0	0	0
Interest and other investment income, net	1,214	1,892	2,329	3,754
Interest and debt expense	(56,395)	(47,173)	(110,981)	(92,524)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	159,511		159,511	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	260,964	121,859	345,160	219,460
Income tax expense	(816)	(1,095)	(1,775)	(2,038)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	260,148	120,764	343,385	217,422
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	260,148	120,764	343,385	217,422
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(3,397)	(2,552)	(6,826)	(4,058)
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	256,751	118,212	336,559	213,364
Interest and debt expense	71,171	61,057	142,369	119,724
Depreciation and amortization	111,314	95,567	219,717	189,691
Income tax (benefit) expense	889	1,152	1,979	2,154
EBITDA	440,125	275,988	700,624	524,933
Washington DC Segment [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	127,468	134,856	255,480	268,824
Total expenses	89,106	98,661	345,671	191,658
Operating income	38,362	36,195	(90,191)	77,166
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	(2,958)	(1,805)	(5,001)	(1,674)
Income from real estate fund investments	0	0	0	0
Interest and other investment income, net	34	13	92	26
Interest and debt expense	(19,817)	(17,483)	(35,752)	(35,643)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	0		0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	15,621	16,920	(130,852)	39,875
Income tax expense	(318)	(466)	(582)	208
Income (loss) from continuing operations	15,303	16,454	(131,434)	40,083
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	15,303	16,454	(131,434)	40,083
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	15,303	16,454	(131,434)	40,083
Interest and debt expense	22,641	20,891	42,047	42,403
Depreciation and amortization	39,305	47,803	81,986	88,555
Income tax (benefit) expense	2,205	486	2,470	(2,150)
EBITDA	79,454	85,634	(4,931)	168,891
Other Segment [Member]
Segment Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	68,470	67,170	142,670	140,491
Total expenses	77,653	73,938	164,810	167,269
Operating income	(9,183)	(6,768)	(22,140)	(26,778)
Income (loss) from partially owned entities	4,601	(7,012)	5,967	(4,223)
Income from real estate fund investments	16,389	26,368	27,673	50,457
Interest and other investment income, net	8,988	3,761	11,333	12,678
Interest and debt expense	(29,364)	(27,436)	(59,332)	(55,599)
Net gain on disposition of wholly owned and partially owned assets	0		714	1,860
Income (loss) before income taxes	(8,569)	(11,087)	(35,785)	(21,605)
Income tax expense	(975)	89,633	(2,583)	88,931
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(9,544)	78,546	(38,368)	67,326
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	2,475	(364)	3,191	15,815
Net income	(7,069)	78,182	(35,177)	83,141
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(9,628)	(16,634)	(15,877)	(31,010)
Net income attributable to Vornado Realty L.P.	(16,697)	61,548	(51,054)	52,131
Interest and debt expense	33,987	33,125	69,503	67,621
Depreciation and amortization	22,733	19,875	46,460	41,449
Income tax (benefit) expense	1,610	(89,291)	3,516	(88,396)
EBITDA	$ 41,633	$ 25,257	$ 68,425	$ 72,805